KL: Well and what’s amazing was how many young women latched onto seeing this movie because you cast Robert Pattinson in it. I have to ask the question and extend to the rest of the cast, what was it like working with two actors – Charlie Hunnam and Pattinson – who have such ingrained personas and take them out of their comfort zone?

JG: In some ways your question is excellent and in some ways your question is more for them than it is for me. To me, all I tried to do was adhere to the truth of who those people were, and basically try to get the actors to become as dedicated and committed and passionate as I felt they could be. They brought that passion with them, and sometimes you don’t have to. In this case, with both boys, I didn’t have to encourage any kind of divergence away from their persona. In some ways the actors are desperate to leave their other personae behind because they don’t want to be typecast, and they want to grow, and show other parts of themselves.

Rob was wonderfully open about it; he grew that big beard – that incredible movie face. Really, I find a wonderfully bold choice to disappear into that part and be this kind of quiet, but loyal and ferociously effective aide de camp. And, in truth, Rob was the Twilight guy a few years ago so it’s a very different thing. I think all the young girls who are clambering to see the movie I hope they go for selfish reasons, but they’ll also see a side to him as an actor that’s really growing.